This week’s fresh listings:

This page is to be updated every Tuesday and will contain all the latest Coin, Medal & Token listings for that particular week.

The more observant of you may have realised that I no longer keep previous "Fresh Listings" coins on this page.

All for sale coins can be found via the category grid on the front page. Most sold coins are now accessible via a new link on that same category grid.

Additions to www.HistoryInCoins.com for week commencing Tuesday 17th December 2024

WSC-9044: John Baliol Scottish Hammered Silver Long Cross & Stars Penny. Second coinage, smooth surface issue, circa 1292-6. Berwick mint. Obv: +IOhANNES DEI GRA, bust left. Rev: +REX SCOTORVM, long cross with x4 mullets or stars of six points in angles. Spink 5071. John Baliol was “chosen” out of thirteen competitors for the Scottish throne upon the death of Alexander III. The English king, Edward I, was the arbitrator. John Baliol’s four year reign ended in 1296 with his abdication when Berwick, Edinburgh, Perth, Roxburgh and Stirling all fell to the English. Unlike the first issue John Baliol pennies, very few specimens of this coinage have been found recently with metal detectors. Both very rare and desirable in this grade. £595

Provenance:

ex Mike Vosper

WSC-9045: 1565 Mary and Henry Darnley Scottish Hammered Silver Two Thirds Ryal. Fourth period, circulated at 20 shillings. Edinburgh mint. Obv: +MARIA & HENRIC DEI GRA R & R SCOTORV and totally different to the 1565 first issue Ryal, no images of either Mary or Henry. Spink 5426. Mary became queen at only seven days old. She married Lord Henry Darnley (second marriage) in 1565 - this coin very much from that union period. Darnley was killed in an explosion in 1567, thereby bringing this date run to an abrupt end. It is interesting to note that this reverse die was struck 156- in order to insert the appropriate final digit as and when. Unusual to find this denomination NOT counterstamped under Mary's son (Darnley was officially the father), the future James VI of Scotland and James 1st of England. Scottish circulation was much more intense than south of the border due to lack of sufficient coinage physically in circulation, so that, coupled with the inadequate and shallow-sunk dies, led to very, very few coins of this type or similar ending up in anywhere near VF today. £1,365

WAu-9046: 1602 James VI Hammered Gold Sword & Sceptre Piece of 120 Shillings. Eighth gold coinage (1601-4), struck in 22ct gold whilst James was still only James VI of Scotland. Edinburgh mint. Obv: +IACOBVS 6 D.G.R. SCOTORVM. Spink 5460. It is generally accepted that Scottish coinage is much more attractive than its English counterpart, especially from the James V until 1603 period when James ascended the English throne and, by necessity, the two country's followed a more unified path in terms of coinage. This Sword & Sceptre piece is absolutely no exception to that aesthetic appraisal. As such, these coins often turn up impaired; being found mounted or pierced in order to display on the body in the form of jewellery. Gold coins are also frequently found with bite marks and creases, often straightened but always leaving a crease mark. This coin is a superb example with none of that, although it has been cleaned at some point in its 420 year life. Scottish coins of quality are increasing in value seemingly overnight; gold coinage much more so, which is the main reason I can no longer offer Lay-Away on any gold coins. Here you have both an investment opportunity together with a seriously attractive coin to potentially go into your collection. £2,895

Extra information added to this listing:

WMH-9037: Edward V or Richard III Hammered Silver Medieval Groat. Type 2a, reading EDWARD DI GRA REX ANGL Z FRANC. London mint, initial mark Boar's Head 1 struck over Sun & Rose 1. Spink 2155. Obverse dies in the name of Edward with an underlying Sun & Rose 1 initial mark. In 1483, on 12th February, the Cinquefoil coinage of Edward IV's type XXI ended. The new mint master, Bartholomew Reed, entered into an indenture with the king and thus Sun & Rose 1 was introduced. Edward died on the 9th April 1483 but Sun & Rose 1 continued through the very short reign of Edward V and into the reign of Richard III. This ended on 20th July when a new indenture was prepared by Robert Brackenbury to introduce the Boar's Head mark. The dies were prepared very soon after Richard III ascended the throne on 26th June 1483. Boar’s Head initial mark - the White Boar was the personal device or badge of Richard III and dear to his heart. Richard III was the last of the medieval monarchs, losing to Henry Tudor on Bosworth Field, or as is now the current thinking, on a field a few short miles from that famous location. The famous "King in the Carpark." Whist Richard was no saint (I think some poor decisions and a ruthless streak that they all had at that time was about as bad as it got), he probably wasn't a ‘child killer’, ‘murderer’, or ‘usurper’, at least no more than any other medieval monarch. Don't believe all that Shakespeare tells you!! So here we have a coin struck from an obverse die that was very much part of the Holy Grail of Edward V's coinage but modified by the addition of Richard III's beloved Boar’s Head initial mark, but crucially leaving the old regnal name intact. Coincraft place this coin under the Edward V category whilst Spink place it under Richard III. Incidentally, as a Richard III groat, it is the rarest type, other than the York example - the last one of those I saw go through auction achieved £7,000 before commission. An extremely rare coin indeed. £3,875

Provenance:

ex Spink (August 2014 for £3,010) sold to...

ex Frank Limouze collection (dispersed 2024)